Coupons/ Rebates/ Pricing

Plano, Texas -- J.C. Penney said Thursday it is once again tweaking its pricing structure, changing course just six months after introducing a three-tiered everyday pricing strategy.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot has revealed a new back-to-school advertising campaign featuring multi-faceted actor, comedian and host of "America’s Got Talent," Nick Cannon. The campaign showcases Office Depot’s technology and fashion assortment to help students “Be Ncredible” this school year.

LOS ANGELES — Supervalu is making the mobile couponing app, Yowza!! available to more than 1900 independent stores. The new alliance means independent retailers supplied by Supervalu have the opportunity to offer the free Yowza!! app to their shoppers to receive real-time savings on in-store purchases.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — Once again, consumers are putting off back-to-school shopping until the last minute, but retailers can take solace in the fact that they intend to spend more this year.

According to NPD's survey, 31% of respondents said they plan to spend more this year, compared with 22% who made that claim in 2011. The number of consumers who plan to spend less went from 38% in 2011 to 24% this year, while those who plan to spend the same rose from 40% to 46%.

BURNABY, B.C. — Best Buy Canada and its subsidiary Future Shop are taking the issue of online competition head on with revised price match and return policies in response to the changing nature of retail in Canada and commitment to customer service.

LOS ANGELES — Back-to-school shoppers plan on stretching their dollar and taking advantage of retailer incentives to save, PriceGrabber said.

Armonk, N.Y. – In-store sales of women’s clothing are expected to see a 9.2% increase in the third quarter of 2012 versus the year-ago period, according to a just-released IBM analytics-based forecast of U.S. retail sales data. The report predicts a 6.2% increase in sales of children’s clothing and a 5.2% increase in footwear. Men’s clothing, however, is forecast to lag, dropping 6.7%.

Visa and MasterCard announced a proposed $6.6 billion settlement to a long-running dispute over the fees they charge merchants, but a growing number of voices are saying not so fast.